How Digitally Civilized *Am* I?

Just how "digitally civilized" am I?
This should give you some idea.

Okay, okay, it's not that bad, even if I feel that way sometimes.  I'm fairly handy with computers and the internet, etc., and especially after all of the information systems classes I took last semester, I feel confident being active and contributing to lots of different 'digital media'.  I like computers, I spend a lot of my time on them every single day, and so I naturally spend the time to know what I'm doing with them, and to know it well.  I have to agree with Ariel in her recent blog post (here), though; future shock is scary, and it's happening much too frequently for comfort, to every single one of us.  Today, I feel confident with facebook and blogger, and I'm learning google+ and goodreads.  Ten years from now, though, I will probably be comfortable with something entirely different that doesn't exist yet, and learning how to use something even newer still (at least, if recent trends mean anything).  

I'm excited for this 'digital civilizations class, I have to admit.  It fascinates me to find new angles from which to analyze history.  Most of what I am familiar with happened during the Renaissance, but in this class I will have the chance to explore (with the members of my group and the rest of the class) the 20th century.  I really ought to know more about it; aside from highlights in social and political history, I don't know nearly as much as I should.  I believe, however, that there are lots of patterns to be found in history.  Our recent technological boom is, in my opinion, really nothing more than an acceleration of the revolutionary technology cycle that we have seen many times throughout human history.  Sometimes, when I really think about the size and scope of the internet, it occurs to me to wonder whether someone, years ago, had the same reaction to suddenly having printed books and libraries widely available as we do to the internet.  Maybe, hundreds of years ago, the idea of having a few handwritten books filled someone with the same admiration of knowledge that I feel looking at google and wikipedia (et al.).  If they felt wonder at something as small as a book, then I think it's only fair for me to try to hold on to that wonder myself as I seek knowledge of the past and future, patterns in the ether, ordo ab chao.

The game is afoot, Watson!